Truck platooning holds great potential to make road transport safer, cleaner and more efficient in the future. That’s why truck manufacturers are eager to bring these platoons to Europe’s roads, and the first real-life tests are already underway.

WHAT IS TRUCK PLATOONING?Truck platooning is the linking of two or more trucks in convoy, using connectivity technology and automated driving support systems. These vehicles automatically maintain a set, close distance between each other when they are connected for certain parts of a journey, for instance on motorways.

The truck at the head of the platoon acts as the leader, with the vehicles behind reacting and adapting to changes in its movement – requiring little to no action from drivers. In the first instance, drivers will remain in control at all times, so they can also decide to leave the platoon and drive independently.

• Further develop platooning technology and relevant standards.

• Upgrade our road infrastructure to allow for platooning.

• Develop a supportive regulatory framework with harmonised rules and exemption procedures.

• Perform joint research projects and show-case activities, for example to test cross-border platooning with multiple brands (a prerequisite for international transport).

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PLATOONING?

HOW DO WE GET THERE?

CLEAN• Truck platooning lowers fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Given that trucks can drive closer together, the air-drag friction is reduced significantly. 

• Platooning can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 16% from the trailing vehicles and by up to 8% from the lead vehicle (according to the recent ITS4CV study by Ertico).

• Truck platooning helps to improve safety. Braking is automatic and immediate; the trucks following the lead vehicle only need one-fifth of the time a human would need to react.

SAFE

EFFICIENT• Platooning optimises transport by using roads more effectively, delivering goods faster and reducing traffic jams. The driving range of trucks can also be extended in certain situations.

• It allows drivers to undertake other tasks, such as administrative work or making calls.

Lead vehicle

Trailing vehicle

Trailing vehicle

•    Gain more experience with platooning in real-traffic conditions, for example to find out how other road users react to platoons and what the optimal number of vehicles in a convoy is.

• Strengthen cooperation between all relevant stakeholders. This also includes operators of road infrastructure, logistics operators, insurance companies and policy makers.

• Get political support for promoting the wide-spread introduction of platooning, eg through incentives.

Before platoons of trucks can become a common sight on Europe’s roads, we need to:

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PLATOONING: STEP-BY-STEP INTRODUCTION

Step 1Mono-brand platooning: trucks from the same brand form a platoon

Step 2Multi-brand platooning (up to SAE level 2) with the driver still ready to intervene

Step 3Driver of a trailing truck can rest

Step 4Full autonomous trucks (starting with driver in the lead truck)

The technology for platooning with trucks of the same brand (so-called ‘mono-brand platooning’) is already available. Clearly, customers will need to be able to platoon with trucks of different brands, so the next step is to introduce multi-brand platooning (up to automation level 2 as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers, or SAE) with the driver still ready to intervene.

By 2023, it should be possible to drive across Europe on motorways (thus crossing national borders) with multi-brand platoons, without needing any specific exemptions. Subsequently, allowing the driver of a trailing truck to rest might come under consideration. Full autonomous trucks will only come later.

EU ROADMAP FOR TRUCK PLATOONING

This roadmap provides an overview of the steps that are necessary to implement multi-brand platooning (up to SAE level 2) before 2025. It shows when, and under which conditions, truck platooning can be introduced according to Europe’s truck manufacturers, provided that certain conditions are met – some of which are beyond the control of the truck industry.

TECHNOLOGY

POLICY

Enabling technology

European Truck Platooning Challenge demonstrated the technological feasibility of (mono-brand) platooning and provided assessment of remaining barriers

National authorities and the EU support and facilitate cross-border testing across Europe

Development of market incentives, such as toll and tax reductions, CO2 bonuses or flexibility in driving time, to stimulate the uptake of truck platooning

Review, adaptation and development of the required regulatory framework, as well as harmonising it, at various levels:• UNECE• EU framework• National traffic laws

Mono-brand platooning • Multi-brand platooning• Communication with infrastructure and other road users

Further development of platooning technology, testing and verification projects by truck manufacturers

Manufacturers take part in various test cases involving logistics operators to examine platoons in real-life conditions and develop the business case for truck platooning

Development of multi-brand platooning technology (H2020 research project funded by the EU), as well as standardisation of communication protocols

Regulatory changes and enabling policy measures required for platooning Market introduction

of this technology will require permission to drive platoons on motorways across the EU, without needing any specific exemptions

Truck manufacturers develop and introduce

Regulatory kick-off: Declaration of Amsterdam

REQUIRED COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS FOR PLATOONS OF TRUCKS

Brake signal transmission – R13

Steering signal transmission – R79

Light signal transmission – R48, R121

Multi-brand data standardisation – new regulationElectromagnetic compatibility (EMC) – R10

Platoon V2V and V2X communication

AUTOMATED COMMANDED STEERING FUNCTION (ACSF), BRAKING FUNCTIONS AND AEBS

ACSF – R79 or new regulation

Braking – R13

TRAFFIC RULES

Safety distance – Vienna Convention

Revision of all national road traffic regulations

DRIVER MONITORING

Somnolence / driver sentinel – new regulation

Event data recorder

THE RIGHT REGULATORY FRAMEWORKIn order to bring truck platooning to Europe’s roads in the near future, we will need to build on the political momentum of the Declaration of Amsterdam and implement what we have learnt from the European Truck Platooning Challenge in 2016. Above all, we need to create an enabling regulatory framework at both the EU and international levels. To that end, these changes will need to be made to existing rules and legislation:

Finally, it will be imperative that governments introduce incentives, such as toll and tax reductions, CO2 bonuses or flexibility in driving time, to stimulate the market uptake of truck platooning.

EU legislation

UN legislation

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• Further developing platooning technology and its practical applications, including communication standards for multi-brand truck platooning.

• Providing the necessary technical expertise for the regulatory process that should enable cross-border truck platooning on a normal basis.

•    Investigating the conduct of platoons in real-traffic conditions on EU motorways through joint efforts, as well as identifying the advantages and risks associated with this.

• Performing large-scale demonstrations, with the support of the EU institutions, national authorities and other stakeholders.

DRIVER TRAINING

Driving licences – Directive 2006/126 EC

SIGNALLING AND ROAD MARKINGS FOR PLATOONS

Road signs – Regulation (EC) No 1071/2009

Vehicle signs (HUD/HMI) – R121 GRSG

Direct/indirect visibility – R46

Other users signalling – R48 or new regulation

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR PERIODIC TECHNICAL INSPECTIONS

Technical roadside inspection of roadworthiness commercial vehiclesR13, R48, R79, R89, R116, R121, R130, R131

Directive 2000/30/EC

1997 Agreement

TYPE APPROVAL

Targets to be defined for type approval

Platooning engagement/disengagement rules (split and merge)New regulation for platooning components/systems on trucks

TRUCK MANUFACTURERS WILL CONTRIBUTE BY:

National legislation